Tamil spying on Kerala in water dispute found, say cops

Thiruvananthapuram, April 26 (IANS) The intelligence wing of Kerala Police claimed Friday that it had spotted a Malayalee who has been spying for the Tamil Nadu government on inter-state water issues.

The man reportedly works with the Tamil Nadu government and has been passing on to his employers the contents of Kerala government files dealing with water sharing between the two states.

Speaking to IANS, a top Kerala intelligence official said the official has been identified, and his activities are being watched.

"He has got his hands on important documents of the Kerala government related to water sharing disputes with Tamil Nadu, and passes the information to the neighbouring state. We have submitted a report to the government on this," said the top official, who for obvious reasons did not want to be named.

The intelligence official said the mole was named Unnikrishnan, and he has been passing on crucial information to Tamil Nadu for almost two decades.

The police have asked the Kerala government to ensure that the man's entry into the state secretariat is stopped with immediate effect.

State Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan told media persons Friday that if any Kerala government employees were found involved in spying activities, strict action would be taken against them.

"No one will be spared, the government views this as a serious issue," Radhakrishnan said.

A state government employee, seeing the man's excessive curiosity about Kerala's stance on the Parambikulam-Aliyar water sharing agreement, over which a case is currently being heard in the Supreme Court, alerted the Kerala Police's intelligence department.

Police officials acted quickly to zero in on the man, but no decision has yet been taken on the action to be initiated against him.

It is significant that the mole has been exposed Friday. Kerala Water Resources Minister P.J. Joseph and Tamil Nadu Public Works Department Minister P.V.R. Amalingam, and chief secretaries of the two states are set to meet here Sunday for talks on the Parambikulam-Aliyar water sharing agreement.

Kerala has been complaining that Tamil Nadu was not releasing the 7.25 tmc of water due to the state annually, under the water sharing agreement.

Kerala had also only recently filed a case in the Supreme Court, urging the apex court to intervene so Tamil Nadu is made to release Kerala's share of water from the Parambikulam-Aliyar project.